South Korean traffic cop dubbed ‘Die Hard policeman’ after clinging to suspect’s car to make arrest

Traffic cop Kim Hyun-cheol clung to the windshield and roof of a suspect's car when they sped away during a stop

SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean traffic cop who arrested a drug suspect after clinging to his car for 25 minutes has gotten a promotion and is being called the “Die Hard policeman” by local media.

Police say Kim Hyun-cheol initially stopped the suspect’s car in the city of Busan because it made an illegal U-turn on Aug. 26. When the suspect sped off, Kim clung to the windshield and roof of the car.

The suspect eventually stopped and was arrested after a foot chase. Officials say the man was later found to be on a wanted list for drug-related crimes.

Kim has since been promoted to assistant inspector. His nickname refers to the heroic acts of actor Bruce Willis’ police character John McClane in the hit “Die Hard” movie series.